Retained suture needle punctures child’s aorta

If you find yourself nervous when you or a loved one needs to undergo surgery, you are not alone. Most Texans find themselves worried about the risks associated with a surgery. These fears are not unfounded. Tragically, surgical errors occur more often than many individuals realize, putting numerous individuals at risk of harm. Worsened medical conditions, additional injuries and even death can occur when a negligent medical professional makes an error during an operation.
Some of these mistakes are so unexplainable that they seem to defy logic. In one recent case, a baby was found to have a suture needle stuck in her aorta. The needle was used in an operation 10 days prior. Even more troubling is the fact that medical professionals seemed to know that the needle was left inside the child. One doctor voiced the concern after a count of suture needles following the procedure came up one short. Yet, the child’s parents were not notified of the missing needle, and they were not aware of it until the child was taken to the emergency room 10 days later.
Fortunately, no serious harm was caused to the child, although she may have been at risk of puncturing other organs. That doesn’t justify the hospital’s actions, though. With that in mind, the family filed a lawsuit against the hospital. The matter settled out of court with the hospital agreeing to pay the child for the incident, as well as compensating the parents.
Inexcusable medical neglect occurs more often than it should. This is why victims of medical malpractice need to ensure that they protect their legal rights while at the same time fight to hold these errant professionals accountable for the damage they have caused. An attorney who is skilled in this area of the law may be able to help with this process by assisting a victim and his or her family with developing strong legal claims that have the law on their side.